Rumia's Past: Alone in the Silence
by A. Magpie
Summary: Before she became a youkai, Rumia was somebody else. Sold to a wealthy man by an abusive father, the nameless girl realizes that the mansion holds many secrets, including the ones of the first Rumia. Inspired by the song Alone in the Silence remix by Yuuhei Satellite, original: Apparitions Stalk the Night by ZUN. *You don't need any knowledge on Touhou to understand this story :]
1. Chapter 1

Rain battered at the little town relentlessly. Dim beams of light flickered behind cracked glass windows, lighting up as much rundown rooms as they could. Rotten vegetables and litter flowed down the cobblestone streets, bobbing up and down in oily streams of rainwater.

A single, anguished wail echoed in the back alley of two buildings.

"Shush yer' gob!" The short, skinny man covered the mouth of his blue-eyed daughter. Her frail body, wrapped in ropes, thrashed in fear as another hand came down cruelly on her ear. Fear melted quickly into pain. The little girl's muscles contracted as she waited for it to ebb away.

A stout woman, similarly built as the man, stood beside her husband. A patched bonnet covered her hair.

"Hush now girl!" she coaxed, "It'll be over soon…" the woman's gaze hardened into steel, "if you would jus' shush yer gob…"

"Where'd those sly dogs go? They should be here by now!" lamented her husband. Then, with one hand, he leaned over and brushed his daughter's hair behind her ears, "They're comin' for _you_, girl." His touch left behind an icy tingling on her skin.

Somewhere behind them, a cheap shack gave way and collapsed in the stormy streets.

Betrayal colored the girl's eyes, swirling inside a dark cloud of terror. Either rain or tears streaked down her cheeks as she writhed against the ropes that bound her.

_Family is supposed to love you and care for you. _

The big hand at her mouth prevented any desperate pleas. _Please Daddy please! I beg you!_ She thrashed as much as she dared, kicking wildly. Her shoeless foot hit something hard. A wave of pain overwhelmed her body.

Hot tears flowed freely from the little girl's eyes. The storm within was screeching, howling, and gushing, ten times meaner than the storm without.

Suddenly, she realized. Her legs were free.

Her father was distractedly watching the alley opening. Her mother was picking at the debris on the floor. Somehow, in the dark alleys of a forgotten town, drenched in rain and smothered in darkness, a little flame of hope was born inside the little girl's heart. _Maybe I can make it._ Gambling everything she had, the little girl gave a jerk and kicked her father in the chin with all her might.

If it was just a little girl's kick, it wouldn't have done much damage, and earned her nothing but a hellish beating. But if it was a little girl's kick, a little girl's agony, a little girl's anger, and a little girl's desperation, then that would've been much different. It might've earned her freedom.

Immediately, a throng of curses erupted from the short man, clutching the dark purple splotch under his chin. Tripping over his own feet, he staggered into his wife. A scream issued from the lady's mouth as she went down in a mass of flailing arms.

The girl's bonnet was lost somewhere in the mud, revealing a short mass of fair hair. Rolling around like a log, she twisted this way and that, trying to rid herself of the tough, sinewy ropes. They just won't loosen. Mud stuck to every inch of her body like glue, coating her in a dark brown mass of stinky sludge. Horrible thoughts raced through the little girl's mind, threatening to snuff out that little spark of hope.

_Hope doesn't belong here. Not here, in this dark world._

Her blood ran cold at the thought. _What if Daddy caught me?_

But she still had her legs. After barely stopping herself from rolling out into the street, the blue-eyed girl sat up against the alley opening, and forced her skinny legs to support her weight. Wobbling, with no arms to break her fall, the little girl hobbled desperately out of the alley. Fear clogged her mind, mud clogged her vision. Ropes clogged her movement, her _freedom_.

"Girl!" screeched the short man, "Daughter!" Picking himself up, he stepped over a tangle of legs and skirts just as his daughter made it into the streets. Pursuit began.

The girl dreamed of freedom. Each time her bare toes scraped the ground, each time she winced in pain, was possibly another step less she would have to take to reach freedom. Grabbing for that beautiful thing she longed for, she pushed herself forward. _Further,_ she urged herself, _just a bit further. Daddy doesn't love me anymore._ A faint burst of delight blossomed inside her heart. The rain was washing the mud out of her eyes, giving her a free bath. It seemed like it was washing out her fear and hurt as well. The little girl never felt so free.

Eventually, cold water took its toll. Numbness crept up her ankles. Her feet left thick crimson patches, washed away instantly the moment they were printed.

"Girl! Daughter!_Listen t' yer father!_" a frustrated scream traveled through the wailing storm.

An icy chill ran down the blonde girl's back. All positive feelings were immediately cancelled the moment the words traveled into her ears. Fright egged her on, forcing the little girl forward. A whimper escaped her throat each time her feet pounded the ground. Blood flowed freely from between her toes, and her breathing was labored. Even the little girl didn't notice, some of the waterlogged ropes were beginning to loosen.

From behind her, fast, anxious footsteps could be heard, scrabbling down the cobblestone path, breaking through millions of tiny water droplets. Rumia's heart pounded loudly in her chest. Will she make it? This ugly little village was the only place she'd ever known, relatively small, but her lungs were giving way. The taste of blood filled her throat. She wasn't going to make it after all.

"Daughter! This is good for yer!" cried her father.

_Stop chasing me!_ Each ragged breath was a countdown to her end. Each wheeze slowed her steps. Her heart pounded in her chest. _Jus' _s_toppit!_

A black silhouette could be seen amidst the falling rain, grappling at thin air for his little daughter.

"Me 'n yer mummy truly care 'bout you! Really!"

Tears, or was it raindrops, streaked the girl's face. She ducked as she ran past a row of forgotten sheets still hanging on their clotheslines. A basket of apples rolled across the street, spilling the delicious red fruits into the rain. The wind howled and howled, bringing in the full extent of its icy cold wrath.

A soundless scream escaped the girl's mouth as a dark hand clasped around her shoulder. Instinctively, she whirled around and battered and kicked at the black figure behind her.

"Girl! Daughter!" Her father's screams went under her vicious kicks and bites. "I loves yer t'death! Yer mother loves you!"

_Daddy lies. He lies!_

Barely breaking free, the little girl bolted into an abandoned shop and rushed into the corner, leaving behind her father. The cruel hand which had grabbed and beat her so many times was gone.

Panting and dripping wet, she hobbled around the loose floorboards, looking for somewhere dry. The fear, the terror, it was all fading away. She was safe now.

Her foot landed on a mass of slippery moss.

Suddenly, her balance gave way, and she crashed into the ground, facedown. Splinters flew through the air. Her nose was buried painfully in a wet mush of wood. Choked screeches bounced off the wall, followed by whimpers and whines. The ropes around her body stopped her from thrusting out a hand to save herself.

_Blasted ropes! These stupid, blasted-_

Something grabbed the back of her collar.

Another muffled scream rocked the building. The little girl found herself pulled up, and dragged out of the shop. Tears clouded her vision.

_Daddy's got me…no…why?!_

Limp, hungry, and wet, the blue-eyed girl hung there, head lolling, with no more fight left in her.

_Daddy's gonna beat me. He's gonna hit me. He's gonna kill me. He's gonna kill me dead! I'm sorry Daddy please…_

Her bound body was dropped heavily on the ground. Strangely, there was no more thunder, no more lightning. As suddenly as it came, the rain had stopped.

Wet streams of water and blood ribboned from the girl's wounds, seeping into the dirt beneath her. She lay there, eyes half open like a dead animal.

_Am I dead? Maybe Daddy won't hit me if I'm dead._

A cruel foot jabbed her in the stomach.

Rolling over in pain, the little girl clutched her stomach. Immediately, she started blubbering, "I'm sorry Daddy I'm sorry I won't run away again I'm sorry-"

She focused on the figure looking down on her.

_That's not Daddy. _

"This it?" said the tall, muscular man with a clean-shaven face. His voice had a sinister edge to it. "Rather pitiful, compared to the 'beautiful daughter' you described to me." He turned around and faced the two hunched figures behind him, "Liars annoy me. Huh. I don't _like_ things that annoy me."

"I-I…She's just a bit knocked up…tried to run away you see…" said the voice of the girl's father.

"Yes yes! I can vouch for me husband's words sir…" sputtered the girl's mother.

Never in her life has the little girl seen her parents so frightened. They were fearless, powerful, the most powerful beings in her life. It was strange. She closed her eyes. It was too much work keeping them open. The darkness was welcoming.

"Well, you see, broken little girls just aren't worth much. I'm afraid she isn't worth as much as we discussed before, don't you think?" The couple wailed in dismay. Barely holding on to the world, the little girl listened.

"Is there a problem now?"

"N-no sir," muttered her father, "How m-much?"

A hand grabbed her collar. It twisted the her this way and that, inspecting her.

"Hm, if it weren't for me, my lovely couple, you would _have _no daughter to bargain with would you, don't you think? Ah, your welcome, _anytime_, folks. You should give me a slight discount, yes?" The dirty couple watched, unmoving, as the well-dressed man before them ranted. Finally, he leveled his thoughtful eyes with theirs. "Five pieces shall do quite nicely."

A shocked silence hung in the air.

"B-b-but we agreed on twenty!" cried the girl's father. He nudged his wife, "Tell 'im…d…darlin'!"

"R-right…dear! I swear she's healthy and such…and you really don't need to feed her a lot, starvation…_builds_ character…a-and our little girl has _loads_ of that-"

"Tied up her arms, but left her legs free," the tall man chuckled, "_What _character! Now," his voice hardened into steel, "I will ask once more. _Do you agree?_"

A sullen silence followed. Nobody said a word.

"Ah yes, silence. Silence is good, my friends, very good. May I ask how old she is?" said the strange man.

"Er, five-"

"Six!" his wife interrupted, "My, you have such _horrible_ memory-"

"Does she have a name?"

"Well um," the woman answered, "We haven't…er, namelessness builds _character_ you see...Did I mention how_much_ of that our little girl has-"

The strange man threw a few coins into the mud.

"Farewell."

The girl felt something tighten around her arms, and then her legs. The little hope she had was gone. She gritted her teeth as the tough things dug into the red marks on her body. _It hurts._ Rueful laughter echoed in the back of her head. _I'm not six, Mommy. I'm seven. You're bad at remembering. _

The little girl barely felt herself being dragged through the dirt. Splinters dug in her face. Her awareness dulled. The rhythmic movement lulled her into the realm of unconsciousness.

_Five pieces. I'm worth five pieces._ The last thing she felt before she blacked out was a tiny touch of scorn.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight cut into her vision, disturbing the little girl's dreamless sleep. The golden beams beat at her pupils so that the darkness underneath her eyelids was no longer comfortable. Slowly, her eyes cracked open, letting in the brightness of daytime.

Startled, the little blonde brought a hand to her face and brushed her own cheek. Her skin was soft, her cheeks were warm. The little girl's skinny body was propped up against the back of an antique chair with velvet cushions. Almost like a doll. The chair, almost like a throne, was one of the many chairs that were placed around a wide dining table. The little blonde stared dumbly at the long table that stretched about twenty or thirty feet before her, laden with golden platters and silver cups. She stared at her strange surroundings, perplexed, yet calm and delirious, not taking in what her eyes were seeing.

_Five pieces. I'm worth five pieces. _Her memories lingered in a small corner of her mind, drifting in and out of consciousness. A small wave of discontent washed over the little girl. _Ha ha. Five pieces._ Her shoulders shook slightly as she laughed silently at herself.

"Good morning, Rumia." The little girl jerked in her seat. Her eyes flew from chair to chair, all around the long table, until they finally rested on a well-dressed man that sat at the other end. He smiled as her gaze met his. The blood drained from the little girl's face. _Who is this strange man? Where am I?! _Fear bubbled underneath her skin. _I've never seen him before! _His face reminded the girl of a dog. No, he wasn't a dog. He was too intelligent, too strong, too _wild_. He was a wolf. The little girl narrowed her eyes. No, actually, she's seen him before. _He's the man who grabbed me!_ Recognition spread across her face. _He's the man who-_

"I'm sorry," boomed the wolf man, "I said, _good morning Rumia._"

The little blonde banished all the confusion floating in her mind. _Go with it! _Her gut instinct screamed at her. _Go with it! _An eerie silence hung in the air. _What would happen if you _didn't_ go with it? _At that thought, she forced her mouth open and squeaked, "G-good morn-"

"Yes! It is _indeed_ a good morning," the wolf man laughed heartily, "don't you think so, my daug-"

The little girl's attention was already gone. She replayed the sound of five pieces dropping into the mud, over and over again in her head. _He's the man who said I was worth five pieces. _Her stomach boiled. _Why?_ The blonde felt her discontent churning deep inside her. _Why?! _Her pride demanded to be justified.

"Why was I only worth five pieces?!" The words were out of her mouth before she knew it. The little girl balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, awaiting the blows that were sure to descend for her insolence. _I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please Daddy-_

"You're worth a trillion pieces to me, daughter," the wolf man smiled widely, "Now eat." The blonde snapped opened her eyelids in surprise.

_Daddy isn't here anymore. _She reminded herself. Even then, she was fearful that he would still hear here thoughts somehow, and then come find her and take her away.

_"__You're worth a trillion pieces to me, daughter." _The little girl blushed slightly at the thought. _Am I worth a trillion pieces?_ Her heart swelled.

The blonde tried to imagine what a trillion pieces would look like. It made her too dizzy. She stole a glance at the wolf man. _Does he own a trillion pieces?_ She surveyed the golden plates and dishes set before her. Many things the little girl didn't recognize, except a plate of apple slices. She closed her eyes and revisited the first and only time she's ever eaten an apple. How her teeth sank into the crunchy fruit. How the sweet, tangy juices bathed her tongue. Then, slowly and shyly, the little girl began to pick at the exotic dishes in front of her. She pictured the wolf man sitting in a pile of shiny apples.

_Maybe he does own a trillion pieces. _The little girl dug in.

Many of the dishes were small, made more for sampling than eating excessively. They filled up the table, covering up the white tablecloth that extended all the way to the wolf man's seat on the other end of the table, awaiting more guests to sample them. Each different pastry held a memorable array of tastes that left lasting flavors on her tongue, even if the blonde only tried the ones nearest to her. The food was nothing less than elaborate. It was something the poor could never dream of.

Nor could they have dreamt of the regal architecture in which the food was served under. One side of the room was entirely windows. Tapestries of wolves hung on the ivory walls. Blue velvet etched with designs of the silver animals were draped over each door. There were many doors, leading to wondrous places elsewhere. The tall curtains that partially covered the stained glass windows shivered with clear white beads. It sent the multicolored light that streamed through the windows in splashes of rainbow all across the large dining table.

It was a glamorous fantasy.

Somewhere in the corner of her vision, the little girl caught a glimpse of gorgeous green mountains that lay outside the windows.

_I wonder where I am._

"Eat, my daughter," the wolf man's voice brought the little girl back to the dining table. His gray eyes never left her. Each time she slowed down, he would urge her to eat more, eat more. So she ate more.

_For five pieces…and now I'm his daughter._

But, every part of her yearned for her to trust, begged her to just indulge into the riches thrown at her so sparingly. _Maybe I _am_ his daughter. _Happiness blossomed in the little girl's chest. This was a beautiful dream, a dream where someone like her could be worth a trillion pieces. The silver fork cradled between her fingers fell onto the tablecloth.

"Are you finished, sweet daughter?"

_I'm worth a trillion pieces._

"Yes…Daddy."

_I'm worth a trillion pieces._

"You may excuse yourself," the wolf man clasped his hands, "Oh. Also," he release one hand and massaged his nose. Something glinted in his eye, "I know you've been requesting a new dress."

"Yes, D-daddy," the little girl clutched her patched skirts self-consciously. They weren't worth the presence of new Daddy. _I'm rich now after all. _She waited as the wolf man wiped his mouth with an expensive handkerchief. After folding the cloth and slipping it in his pocket, he glided down the side of the table and opened the door for her. Unsure what she was supposed to do, the blonde stood up unsteadily and, trying to glide like the wolf man, made her way awkwardly toward the open door.

A chilly air hit her the moment she stepped through the door. The little girl gasped. For a moment, the world around her flickered. It felt as if a something had wrapped its cold fingers around her heart.

_Up…the…pipe… _The blonde whipped around. Did she just hear something?

Then, the chilliness was gone. Disappeared, as if it was never there. Breathlessly, the blonde rubbed her arms, trying to keep the hairs on her skin from standing up.

_There's nothing to be afraid of…'cos I'm rich now…_She eyed her surroundings warily.

A dark, navy colored hallway extended endlessly on both sides. Portraits of strange-looking people hung on the walls, evenly spaced. It was almost as if their eyes followed the little girl's movements. A violent shiver shook her body.

_Bein' rich is ALL 'bout creepy blue hallways!_

The little girl stuck out her chin, trying to force down her terror. She trailed timidly behind the wolf man, who proceeded down the left corridor wordlessly.

The passage went on forever. Black wooden doors appeared on each side of the hall like some sinister pattern. Then, suddenly, the hallway ended. It just stopped, strangely and abruptly. At the very, very end was a single door, proud and white. The closer they got, the more the little girl realized that the silver doorknob was rather strangely shaped.

It was a wolf head. The snarling beast's jaws were open, revealing a row of knife-sharp teeth. The wolf man thrust his hand on it and twisted without hesitation.

The creature's ears clicked and it mouth snapped once…then door opened with a lilting creak.

A gasp caught in the little girl's throat.

Much like the dining room before, this room was magnificent. Sunlight filtered in through the large window. Glass ornaments hung from the ceiling, reflecting colorful splashes of light all over the white room. The back of the room was an enormous closet, drawers and mirrors, dressers and racks. One bed stood at the center, larger than any bed she's ever seen.

Four dresses lay on the silken bed sheets. The wolf man planted his hand on the blonde's back and gently ushered her inside. Heart thumping in her chest, the little girl stepped forward and examined the dresses with wide blue eyes. Three of them could pass for gowns. Fancy, splendid, glamorous, words that were never meant to describe poverty.

The fourth dress was plain and black with a white sash. A red tie-like piece of velvet hung from its collar. The blonde turned around, searching for the wolf man, but he wasn't there. The door was closed. She figured he must be waiting outside for her.

She chose the plain black dress.

When she stepped outside, the wolf man was waiting. His face lit up when he saw her.

The hungry gray eyes startled her. The little girl froze in her tracks, frozen with shock. She stared into the wolf man's pupils. They gleamed with mad satisfaction. A chill ran down the little girl's back. Her voice was mute.

"You passed," grinned the wolf man, "You really are my Rumia."

_I passed?_ An uneasy feeling crept up the blonde's spine. _What if I didn't pass?_

_What then?_

Suddenly, the wolf man lunged forward and grabbed her arm. A silent scream issued out of the little girl's mouth as she was pulled forward. A finger found its way under her chin and pushed her head upwards, until she was nose-to-nose with the wolf man. The little girl gripped the hem of her new dress in terror.

"Rumia, my Rumia! I've finally found you! You had me so worried…" the man's face flushed with happiness, not unlike a child with a new toy. He spread his arms and embraced the blonde in a suffocating hug. "Oh Rumia! My Rumia! My sweet little daughter…"

_This man is crazy! He's utterly crazy!_

The little girl shook with panic. Her screams were muffled in the sleeves of the wolf man, and her kicks didn't even shift the man's arm. She'd yell, she'd kick, but the wolf man would never let go. He was lost in his own world, the mad, twisted world, where his daughter Rumia stood before him, embracing him back.

_What happened to Rumia?_

She could see, with those bright blue eyes, the color of paranoia clouding the man's eyes. His wolf eyes.

Regret washed over the little girl. _I shouldn't have trusted him…I should've ran away…_Hopelessness was like a heavy stone in her heart, weighing her dreams down. For a moment, the little girl almost gave up.

_Fight! _Her insides screamed. _Fight him! Fight!_

For a split second, the blonde was able to force down her fear.

"Leggo! I'm not Rumia! _I hate you!_" The words were of no avail. Panic began worming its way back into her again. The little girl struggled, internally and externally. She flailed like a fish in the wolf man's deadly embrace. But it was all in vain. The man's hands were like steel. Crimson red threads spread from his gray pupils, the seeds of madness sown. The little girl looked away from those bloodshot eyes.

"Please…" she grit her teeth as tears began streaming down her cheek, "Someone! Help me!"

"My daughter," the rant continued, "My sweet little daughter who is only six…"

_You're so bad at remembering, Mommy. _

_I'M NOT SIX!_

"I'm not six! I'm seven! I'm _not_ your daughter! _I'm seven!_" screamed the blonde.

The mad rants stopped abruptly.

Then there was silence. Utter silence.

The little girl's blood ran cold when she locked eyes with the wolf man. His viselike grip slackened, and she let herself fall upon the dark carpet.

It's almost as if time froze.

_I doomed myself. _The little girl realized in wonder. _How does someone doom themself?_

The corner of the madman's mouth curled up in a disgusted snarl. A low hiss snarl emitted from his lips.

"_You're not my daughter." _

A whimper tickled the blonde's throat, "N-no I was j-just kidd…" her voice faded weakly under the wolf man's intense glare. A red color spread across his cheeks as, suddenly, the man's features twisted into a horrifying, grotesque look.

"_You're not my daughter!_" With a scream of frustration, the wolf man kicked the little girl away like she was poison. Her body slid across the hall, cushioned by soft carpet.

A heavy boot landed squarely on her left hand and ground against her knuckles. The little girl shrilled with pain as the cruel foot crushed her hand. "_But," _the wolf man continued, "_you _know_ where my Rumia is, don't you?!_" Flipping over a vase, he rammed his fist into the wall, "JUST LIKE THE OTHERS! AAARGH!" One of the paintings crashed to the floor in splinters. Sweat trickled down the grooves in the wolf man's forehead. His throaty breathing echoed down the corridors. "AAARUGH!" something else crashed. The foot shifted away from the blonde's hand.

The moment her hand was free, the little girl curled into a pitiful ball. She sucked her injured knuckles and buried her face into the skirts of her new dress. She sobbed, she wailed, she cried while angry steps thumped about her, causing muted vibrations in the carpet. A hand seized her collar. Howling like a real wolf, the madman brought her up to his nose, "_You will tell me where she is! Tell me where my daughter is!_"

"I…don't…know!" the little girl wheezed, gasping for air.

"Just like the others! JUST LIKE THEM!" he lowered her to the ground and snarled, "You'll tell me! I'll _make_ you! Just like the others!"

_Who were the others? _

"I don't know I don't know…!" the blonde sputtered in panic. She was ready to beg for her life. She was ready to do anything to save herself. The little girl pleaded and whined, only to deaf ears. She let out a cry of pain as the wolf man grabbed her by the hair and began to drag her down the passage. Apparently, he had a destination in mind.

"_Shut up!_" the man scathed, "You little monster! All of you yellow-tongued demons! I thought you were my sweet little daughter…how stupid I was! How stupid, how _stupid_…" he continued to fume, "The black dress only my daughter would choose…you chose as well! You meant to trick me didn't you? You think you _fooled _me?! I was so close to finding her!" he roared, "_So close!_"

The little girl dared not say another word. Silent questions danced in her mind. _The others? The black dress? Would I have ended up like this anyways if I had chose another dress? _Her body slid roughly across the carpet, around corners, down corridors and up stairs. Slowly, the pieces began to fall together. _The others were girls like me weren't they? They chose the wrong dress. Is that how he determines who is worthy of his dark fantasies?_

_He misses his daughter. And this is how he wants to get her back._

The little girl sank deeper into the darkness of her mind.

_What happened to his true daughter?  
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Suddenly, she realized, the air had turned colder. The wolf man jolted to a halt somewhere in the dark basements of his mansion. He threw the blonde against the wall.

"You can join the others! You will _rot _or tell me where my daughter is!" growled the wolf man. They stood outside of a hidden door, deep down underground. The air was heavy, the atmosphere cold. It made the little girl's skin prickle like it had when she first stepped into the halls. The wolf man kicked open the wooden door and grabbed the blonde by the wrist. She let herself be pushed soundlessly into the cramped little room.

"I will ask you _one last time. Where is she?!_" the wolf man loomed at the lopsided doorway. The blonde buried her face into her skirts and stayed silent.

The wolf man's expression hardened, "Tomorrow, I'll ask again!" and he slammed the door. A rock sunk in her stomach.

_I'm trapped._


End file.
